Deep Breath | Daniel Ricciardo

Part One

Playlist |
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So here it starts. The beginning of my future. Take some deep breaths and step in for the ride.

My late teens and early adulthood had been a true disappointment, filled with antidepressants, being in and out of jobs and trying to hold on to the hopes that tomorrow would bring something good, new or calming. And here it was, a truly clean slate, a new beginning. I'd spend most of the last 18 months working on finding my place in the world. My mental health as stable as it had even been, I was ready to start living.

My heart still sunk when everyone left and I was in an empty apartment, the move was hard. I had been so close with my family, especially my mom, I'd not been away from her for longer than a couple of weeks before. Deep breaths, it will be fine. I was leaving behind friends and a toxic relationship, well more like escaping. But I wasn't going to dwell. That wasn't part of the new life I was staring so wiping the tears away I started to unpack the few boxes I had bought with me and settled for the evening. Tomorrow was the big day, and I couldn't wait.

I heard my alarm going the vibrations filling my body, Deep breath, everything is fine, and so the day begins. Showered, dressed and ready I decided to head out, seeing as I actually had no idea how to get to the office. I chose smart casual: black jeans, white converse and the company polo that had been left in the apartment along with my contract and some basic information of how my first day would go. I'd got to be in for 8:30 for an early morning briefing for the new junior staff.

So out the door in what seemed like 10 minutes, I headed down to my little, baby blue fiat 500. My stomach sunk, suddenly the realisation of what I was turning up in hit me, might be better to get a Uber... less attention. Sod it, new life new rules, I wasn't going to let fear rule me anymore. Who cares what people thought... on my first day, where everyone was going to have big fancy cars, now each other, comment on what I look like or wear or drive or... ok maybe I still care a little.

The drive was relatively quick and easy, bonus the car park was pretty much empty as I'd arrived at 8am. In fact I wasn't actually sure the offices where open. I thought I'd be prompt, get a coffee, kill the nerves by being present, now I wasn't so sure m, maybe it looked too much, overkill.

Over the next few minutes more cars seemed to arrive, some taxis and Ubers, some very very fancy looking cars. Then someone waved over to me, sitting in my car staring at the people around me. Great. 'Nows the time to get out and face the day then' I thought.

"Hi, it's Libby isn't it?" - I decided when filling out the paperwork to change my known name. All my legal documents that had to be under my registered name stayed as Elizabeth. But the name didn't seem to fit into the new start I was looking for. I wanted a truly clean slate. So to everyone here and in the future, it's just Libby!
The familiar voice makes my breathing calm. Charlotte, this was going to be my boss, she seemed so lovely at all my interviews and trial days. "Yes, hi!" Is all I seem to croak out, quickly clearing my voice of the morning huskiness. "Very prompt, I like it" she smiled " actually I'm glad you came in a little earlier so I could catch a quick word before the briefing starts. We'll just make our way in and I'll unload in my office and come back down to grab you okay?" My heart sunk, surely I hadn't done anything wrong, I'd not even started.

"yes of course" I smiled, I've got to get better at the whole talking to people thing and quickly. I took a deep breath and walked into the Red Bull headquarters.